Ultimate Guide to The Best Vegan Greens Powders + Health Benefits, Key Ingredients, and Side Effects

Green smoothies have taken over the world in recent years. Now, it seems like every trendy cafe has a green smoothie on the menu. But, are they actually healthy or just another health fad?

In this guide, I explore the scientifically proven benefits of consuming green smoothies. I’ll also look at the key ingredients to look out for, the nasty ingredients to avoid, and the possible side effects. I’llI’ll also look at whether vegans specifically need greens powder as part of their diet.

The Top 5 Greens Powders On The Market

First, let’s look at the best greens powders available on the market right now in 2021. The list has been chosen based on the quality of ingredients, the reputability of the brand, and customer reviews.

1. Athletic Greens

Athletic Greens ticks all the right boxes. It has a high micronutrient density, key ingredients, is third-party tested, certified organic, and includes probiotics.

To be more specific, Athletic Greens includes 75 nutrients, minerals, and whole-food ingredients.

The product has a huge amount of positive customer reviews and loyal customers who buy regularly. Furthermore, it’s personally recommended by several elite athletes and doctors.

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2. Equip Foods Microgreens

Second, on the list is the mighty Equip Foods Microgreens. It packs in 22+ superfoods, including wheatgrass, alfalfa leaf, spirulina, kale, MCT, and berries. It also comes with digestive enzymes to improve absorbability.

I like the addition of medium-chain triglycerides (MCT), which have been scientifically proven to aid with weight loss, boost energy levels, and improve endurance.

Each ingredient is cold processed, which results in one serving providing as many as 14 servings of 100% natural organic vegetables. All ingredients are 100% organic and vegan.

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3. Organifi Green Juice

Organifi is a high-quality greens powder featuring 12 superfoods, including spirulina, chlorella, and wheatgrass, combined with organic turmeric, matcha green tea, and much more.

The powder is rich in antioxidants and has one of the best nutrient profiles on the list. It also includes a prebiotic. Organifi is USDA-organic, non-GMO, and vegan friendly.

It has over 4,000 customer reviews with 4 stars on Amazon. Customers report a significant boost in energy, improvements in indigestion, and an overall boost in wellbeing.

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4. Naked Nutrition Naked Greens

One of the lesser-known green powders on the list but certainly one of the best. Naked Nutrition Naked Greens is a simplified greens powder with just 10 but potent ingredients.

Inside, you get broccoli, alfalfa grass, kale, spinach, spirulina, whey grass, prebiotic, ashwagandha, Panax ginseng, and probiotics, which are all organic.

The ingredients are super clean with no artificial flavors, preservatives, or colors to be found. It is certified gluten-free and vegan also. An excellent choice for those wanting a quick and straightforward fix for their micronutrients combined with the power of probiotics.

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5. SuperGreen TONIK

Those looking for a great company that is transparent with their ingredients and honest in their business, look no further. I love SuperGreen TONIK because they represent a new age of supplement brands that are in it to help people and not just profit.

Most of the ingredients are organic, it is third-party tested and includes a 7-in-1 formula designed to enhance energy levels, boost focus, and support healthy immune function.

You get a 365-day guarantee, which no other brand on this list offers. It’sIt’s made in the USA is additive-free, has no added sugar, and is tested for purity.

What’s in it? Spinach, barley grass, kale, chlorella, moringa leaf, spirulina, ashwagandha, bacopa leaves, L-Theanine, ginkgo leaves, L-Tyrosine, and much more.

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6. Ketōnd Super Greens

Ketōnd doesn’t quite provide the same nutrient-rich profile as the above, but it’s still very good and comes at a much more reasonable price than the others. For those who are on a budget, Ketōnd is the right choice for you.

The product is aimed at the keto diet and low-carb dieters who are deficient in essential micronutrients. But, vegans can benefit from superfoods such as organic alfalfa grass, barley grass, wheatgrass, spirulina, chlorella, and kale.

They’veThey’ve also included a digestion complex made from inulin, astragalin, and ginger powder. If that wasn’t enough Ketōnd has also included a unique mushroom complex to offer a significant boost to your immune system.

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7. LiveWell Beyond Greens

“Good Green Vibrations” is the slogan, and LiveWell Beyond Greens certainly lives up to it. With a slight match flavor, this greens powder delivers a powerful punch of nutrients. The unique formula includes echinacea, Rhodiola, milk thistle, probiotics, and four varieties of powerful mushrooms (including Lion’s Mane and Reishi ).

LiveWell is unlike the other greens on this list, focusing on immune health, but it does not include the typical greens ingredients. In this case, it is not a downside to the product as the ingredients do a similar job.

I like the inclusion of probiotics, but some may find this product a bit too expensive.

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8. Amazing Grass Green Superfood

How could I forget Amazing Grass? Probably one of the most popular greens powders on the planet. All their greens are grown organically on their farm in the USA. Each tub comes with 7 alkalizing fresh greens, including organic wheatgrass, barley grass, alfalfa grass, spinach, spirulina, chlorella, and broccoli.

You also get an antioxidant blend that features 9 more superfoods, and it includes prebiotics and probiotics. What’s more, Amazing Grass is Certified Organic by CCOF, gluten-free, with no added sugar, and is 100% vegan.

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9. Sunny Green Cleansing Green

Probably the least expensive greens powder on the list, but it still has a simple but excellent ingredient list. It includes alfalfa, wheatgrass, spirulina, apple, and barley grass.

You also get added fiber, live enzymes, and probiotics. There are also some lesser-known superfood ingredients, including organic beetroot, blue-green algae, liquid chlorophyll drops, and plant extracts from wild lettuce.

The major downside compared to the other greens products on this list is the lack of nutrients. But, if you’re on a budget, it’s still a great buy.

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Other Greens Powders Worth Considering

• Organixx OrganiGreens
• Nested Naturals Super Green
• Equilibrium Daily Fruit and Vegetable Blend
• Green Surge Greens Powder
• Ora Organic Superfood Green Powder

What is Greens Powder?

The aim is to supplement your diet with a healthy dose of all the above, which you couldn’t possibly get through your regular diet. Greens powders are usually blended with water, various fruits, seeds, and plant milk. But you can just drink it with water too.

Our modern diets lack a ton of essential nutrients that our bodies need to function optimally. With ever-increasing amounts of processed foods that are high in salt, sugar, and fat but low in quality nutrients, greens powders can be an easy way to make up your nutritional shortfall.

Do Greens Powders Work?

The short answer is yes, but it depends. First, like any supplement, it will only work if it is of high quality. There are plenty of cheap and nasty supplements on the market. Therefore, it’s important that you do your research and ensure you’re buying quality.

Greens powders are no exception to this rule—the higher quality of the product, the bigger the payback in terms of nutritional content and effectiveness.

Science-based Evidence for Greens Powders

While there is a shortage of research on greens powders specifically, there is an abundance of research on the individual ingredients commonly featured.

All the benefits listed below are based on supplementing a greens powder alongside a healthy diet and an active lifestyle. If you eat processed junk every day and rarely exercise, a greens powder isn’t going to work like some miracle shortcut to health.

Greens Powders Are Typically High in Vitamin A & C

We have a huge amount of research on both vitamin A & vitamin C, which have consistently found that these nutrients support the immune system, boost eye health, support bone health, and reduce the risk of chronic disease and some cancers.

Prebiotics and Probiotics

High-quality greens powders and super blends both often contain a combination of prebiotics and probiotics. These are proven to help further support your immune system, gut microbiota, and digestive system.

Improve Blood Health

Multiple studies have shown that the regular consumption of green smoothies may prevent chronic disease by lowering blood levels of oxidatively damaged proteins and decreasing both systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

Boost Energy Levels

Greens powders often include natural energy boosters like green tea leaf extract, which has been shown to significantly boost your energy.

Elevate pH of Your Urine

All those vegetables that are highly concentrated can elevate urine pH, making it more alkaline. Elevating the pH of your urine can help your body to remove toxins like pesticides and pollutants.

Help Your Liver Detox More Efficiently

Greens powders are an effective method for boosting the detoxing capability of your liver. The rich profile of antioxidants helps support your liver making it more efficient at doing what it does best, detoxing.

What’s Typically In a Greens Powder?

So, what will you find in the ingredients list of a greens powder? Where is all this mighty nutrition coming from?

Here is a list of the most common superfoods you will find in a greens powder:

• Acai Berry
• Alfalfa
• Barley Grass
• Beetroot
• Blueberries
• Broccoli
• Bromelain
• Carrot
• Cherry
• Chlorella
• Curcumin
• Flaxseeds
• Ginger
• Goji Berries
• Green Tea Extract
• Hemp Seeds
• Kale
• Kelp
• Maca Root
• Moringa Leaf
• Mulberries
• Papaya Extract
• Peppermint
• Pineapple
• Piperine (Bioperine)
• Raw Cacao
• Spinach
• Spirulina
• Wheatgrass

Greens powders can contain anything from 5-30 different superfoods in a combination. They may also include unique blends explicitly formulated for digestion, energy, alkalization, and detoxification.

Some green powders also include digestive enzymes, prebiotics, and probiotics to support your immune system, gut microbiota, and digestive system.

How to Buy a Good Greens Powder

Like all supplements, you have the good and the bad. To ensure you’re buying the best greens powders, make sure it ticks all or most of the following boxes:

• Produced by a reputable brand that is honest and transparent.
• Has certifications/accreditations such as GMP-certified, USDA-organic, B-Corporation, and non-GMO.
• Excludes nasty filler ingredients like artificial preservatives, colors, flavorings, processed sugar, and chemicals.
• Avoid deals that are “too good to be true,” always pay more for quality.
• If vegan, look for official vegan certification.
• Includes digestive enzymes, prebiotics, and probiotics.
• Consists of the best superfoods like spirulina, chlorella, spinach, kale, wheatgrass, barley grass, and alfalfa grass.
• Has an abundance of positive and authentic customer reviews.

If the product you’re looking at fails to hit more than 70% of the above, move on and keep looking.

Ingredients to Avoid

It’s just as important to focus on the ingredients to avoid as the ones you want. Avoid the below ingredients when shopping for a greens powder:

Do Vegans Need to Drink a Greens Powder

Technically, no, vegans don’t NEED a greens powder. But, the addition of daily greens smoothie may be a very beneficial addition to their diet. It’sIt’s much harder for vegans to get all the nutrients at the right levels through their diet alone.

A greens powder can be an effortless way to help make up for the shortfall in nutrients. As long as your vegan diet is healthy, varied, and you live an active lifestyle, greens powders can profoundly affect your health and wellbeing.

The addition of digestive enzymes, prebiotics, and probiotics can help to boost your immune system, improve gut health and your digestive system.

Greens powders are not just beneficial to vegans, though. Most people are severely lacking in essential nutrients and antioxidants. Modern diets depend more on highly processed foods, and even the natural foods we eat are declining in nutrients through poor soil health.

Everyone could benefit from including a daily green smoothie in their diet.

Final Thoughts

If you eat a healthy diet and have an active lifestyle, you can benefit greatly from a quality greens powder. It will supplement your diet perfectly and make up for any shortfalls in nutrients. The addition of digestive enzymes, prebiotics, and probiotics will also benefit your immune system, gut health, and digestive system.

Remember, not all greens powders are created equal. Use the advice in this article to ensure you’re making the best consumer decision possible. If you hate that grassy taste, opt for a greens powder with natural flavors like chocolate for berries powder.